Inventory
What to do with the stock that hasn’t sold.
The last few sizes. A collection that arrived late. Something you loved at market that your customers didn’t pick up. Let’s work through your options.
Start with an accurate list of what you have. Include quantities, condition, cost, current selling price, and any vendor restrictions. You can then decide which items deserve another chance on your floor and which would be better offered elsewhere.
Five options to compare.
You may use more than one. The choice depends on the products and how much time your team can spend on them.
Markdowns and store sales
If your customers still want the product, a price change or a well-planned sale may help it move. Choose the items, work out the margin at the proposed price, and give the sale a clear start and end. Tell the customers who are most likely to be interested.
Before you start: Allow for the work of changing prices, merchandising the sale, and promoting it. Check the results before deepening the discount.
Bundles and gifts with purchase
A slow-selling item may make sense alongside something a customer is already buying. Think about a useful pairing, such as a scarf with a coat, rather than simply combining products you want to clear.
Before you start: Calculate the cost of the whole offer. The customer should understand what they are getting, and your team should know how to ring it through.
Resale through another channel
A product that did not find its customer in your shop may appeal somewhere else. A service such as Max Retail can help eligible retailers reach other buyers for unsold branded stock. This can give you another route alongside selling through your own website and floor.
Before you start: Check product eligibility, fees, shipping, vendor agreements, and the work of keeping quantities accurate. A listing is an opportunity to sell, not a guaranteed sale.
Donation
Some stock can be useful to a community organisation even if you decide not to keep selling it. Ask what the recipient actually needs and accepts before arranging a donation. Products should be suitable for their intended use.
Before you start: Agree collection or delivery and keep a record of the items. Ask your accountant about any tax treatment in your country; donation is not the same as recovering the purchase cost.
A bulk buyer or liquidator
A bulk buyer may be worth considering when you need to clear a category or a large quantity in one transaction. Get an offer for the actual stock and compare it with the work and time involved in selling items individually.
Before you start: Confirm which items the offer covers, collection costs, payment terms, and any exclusions. Recovery varies, so compare written offers instead of planning around a general percentage.
Our Max Retail partnership
Where Max Retail may fit.
Max Retail helps eligible retailers sell unsold inventory through other sales channels. It supports listing preparation and customer service; the retailer still needs to keep stock accurate and fulfil the orders.
Max Retail currently publishes a 15% selling fee, with standard shipping charges also applying. Check the full terms, including declined orders, cancellations, and incorrect or damaged shipments, before working out what a sale would return.
Its product requirements matter. Apparel, footwear, and accessories may be a fit, while weight, condition, and category restrictions can rule other items out. We’ll help you look at your assortment and decide whether it makes sense to try.
Read Max Retail’s current pricing and eligibility
Explore Max RetailWe are a Max Retail partner and may receive a referral fee if you sign up through this link. Provider information checked October 14, 2026.
Look at what happened before the markdown.
Victoria managed more than fifty vendors in her own store. Orders placed months ahead, deliveries arriving in parts, and product information arriving separately are familiar territory. They are also good places to look when stock keeps getting held up.
Did the delivery arrive in its intended season? Were the products online with the right sizes and images? Could the team find the stock? Did customers who buy that brand hear about it? Those questions help distinguish a product that had a fair chance to sell from one that didn’t.
We help shops keep purchase orders, receiving, product details, and customer communication connected. That gives you better information for the next decision, even though no system can make every product sell.
See how we help with retail operationsWhat is the best way to clear excess inventory?
Start with the stock itself: its condition, brand, quantity, current demand, and the time you can give it. Compare markdowns, bundles, resale, donation, and bulk offers for each group. Different items may need different routes.
Can I sell excess stock outside my own store?
Yes, where the channel and your vendor agreements allow it. Max Retail is one option for eligible branded inventory. Check the product requirements, fees, shipping, and quantity updates before listing.
Does every unsold item mean we bought badly?
No. Delivery timing, changes in demand, missing product information, and stock that never made it online can all affect a product's chance to sell. Look at what happened to the item before deciding what to change next season.
Want to work through your inventory with us?
Tell us what you carry, what hasn’t moved, and how you handle orders and deliveries today. We’ll help you decide where to start.
A conversation about your store and whether we’re a fit.
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